Day 8: Matthew 6:25-34, 7:1-14

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" - Matthew 6:25 ESV

"Because of this fact last mentioned, the impossibility of dividing your service. Cease to be anxious about things of this life, for anxiety about these is a mark of your attempting this impossibility." - Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (1909). St. Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 237)

Recently I had someone say to me (when seeing someone from afar), "I wonder how much they make." I responded as I usually do when I hear that competitive and comparative tone, "When we’re in our 80s, it won't matter at all." We spend so much time worrying about finances and advancement that we let the Devil distract us from what really matters.

Being wealthy will not matter as we go to draw our final breath. Yet, we insist on trying to position ourselves to become prosperous. We think attaining more will decrease anxiety, but it actually increases it.

A Princeton University study showed that, even in expensive cities, when someone exceeds $75,000 in annual income, it will not contribute to that person feeling better about his or her life. This is a direct quote from that study: “you can’t get emotional well-being much higher just by having more money.” (The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, page 197)

It's as though Jesus knew what He was talking about.

So, if life is more than what we can accumulate, what is it about?

Jesus lays that out in 6:33. We are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We would do well to take a trip back to the beginning of Matthew 5 and soak in Jesus' definition of success.

May we position ourselves to be eternally in God's presence, not to be temporarily at ease.

Day 7: Matthew 6:1-24

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." - Matthew 6:3 ESV

Jesus goes right after the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They were the supposed experts, and they weren't shy about flaunting their expertise. Their giving, their prayer lives, and their fasting became nothing more than a show. Everything was right on the outside, but everything was wrong on the inside.

Beware of the experts, the show-offs. Those that thrive on notoriety.

One thing that really strikes me in today's reading is that Jesus doesn't just give us examples of giving, praying, and fasting; He makes assumptions that we will be actively involved in doing them. He says, "When you," not "If you."

It seems that in an effort not to overburden those that follow Jesus, we soften the expectations. We say things like, "If you have time," or "It only takes five minutes." Is this the kind of faith that Jesus has called us into?

Those that follow Jesus will be generous. They will pray with ferocity. They will deny themselves through fasting. We won't do it so that others can see us; we will follow through because we know that God sees us.

"We serve a God who looks upon the heart, not mere outward appearance (cf. 1 Sam 16:7), therefore religious devotion begins with the heart and the inner motivations behind the external act." - Chouinard, L. (1997). Matthew (Mt 6:3–4)

When it comes to how Jesus sees us, He’s much more interested in our hearts than our heroics.

Day 6: Matthew 5:27-48

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” - Matthew 5:48 ESV

Many of us may read our passage for today, put down our Bibles, and let out a big sigh. This is because we know when we've looked too long in lust. We have seen marriages (maybe even in our own families) fail. We all have given not-so-straight answers when we feel defensive. We've all held onto grudges for far too long. We may have even wished harm to our enemies, definitely not going out of our way to bless them.

We have all fallen short of God's standards which are apparently higher than we thought they were (see Romans 3:23).

So, is it time to find a hole to crawl into? Or is it maybe time to give up on following Jesus? I mean, there is no way we will be able to be perfect as God is perfect.

King David was someone who was far from perfect, but he knew the one who was able to make things perfect when he wrote/sang: "God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect." (Psalm 18:32)

The same Jesus who calls us to a high standard is the One who went to the cross to ensure we could reach wholeness by trusting in His blood for our atonement.

"But now in Christ Jesus you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:13 NASB

Day 5: Matthew 5:1-23

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." - Matthew 5:6 ESV

In our Scripture for today, we see Jesus begin what is now called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). In all nine of these opening "blessed" statements, Jesus is saying, "Let me tell you who is successful in my eyes" or "these are the fortunate ones."

These statements aren't prescriptive (do this, and you will be successful). Instead, they are a picture of Jesus meeting these people where they were, in their desperation and humility, and telling them that His kingdom has a place for them to thrive.

Can you identify with that?

Do you long, in humility, to see God move in your generation? Do you feel overlooked? Are you quickly dismissed, excluded, or mistreated because of your faith in Jesus? Jesus' Kingdom isn't about worldly status or fame. It is one in which we all are declared valuable and considered equal in view of the cross.

This closing comment on our passage today by S.K. Weber illustrates it well:

“Our modern idea of happiness is a diluted version of the joy implied by the term Jesus used. Our idea of happiness is a dependence on circumstances. Instead, God’s happiness or joy is dependent on the assurance of God’s blessing (sometimes present, often future), not on current circumstances, and it abides deep and undisturbable within the believer.”

Day 4: Matthew 4:12-25

"And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” - Matthew 4:19 ESV

So much happens chronologically between verses 11 and 12 that Matthew doesn't record, but we'll get to that as we read through Mark, Luke, and John (another reason it is great to have four biographies of Jesus’ life).

This wasn't Peter’s and Andrew's first interaction with Jesus (see John 1:41-42). Stuart Weber is right on the money when he wrote, "Jesus had known his disciples for some time and had even seen them in ministry situations. Thus, their decision to follow him was not hastily made."

It was important for Jesus to come to them at their workplace to lay out their call. From these four would come His top three. It seems as though Andrew wasn't quite brash enough. Jesus seemed to do the best work with those who were extra rough around the edges.

I find it helpful to break down Jesus' call to these four potential disciples:

1) FOLLOW ME >> This is the invitation for us all to let Jesus start calling the shots in our lives. For these four, it meant a complete rearranging of their lives. It means the same for us today.

2) I WILL MAKE YOU >> Do you feel inadequate to follow the resurrected and glorified Savior? You should. At the same time, you need to know that God can make you what you currently aren't.

3) FISHERS OF MEN >> How many have you caught so far? Jude preferred the phrase "snatching them from the fire" (Jude 1:23). God will bring (or has already brought) people into your life that He wants YOU to reach. Are you ready?

If you haven't noticed, this is a high calling and requires us to enter into holy living. Nothing worse than a hypocritical fisher of men (and women).

What will your answer be to Jesus?

Day 3: Matthew 3:7-17, 4:1-11

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." - Matthew 4:1-2 ESV

The reality of temptation is something with which we all grapple daily. What makes it especially difficult is that the Devil custom fits it to our existing weaknesses.

At the age of 30, Jesus bursts onto the scene to be baptized by John, sees the Holy Spirit, and hears the confirming voice of His Father. We see that account, and we are encouraged, uplifted even. Then in the very next verse, we see that this same Holy Spirit will lead him into the wilderness to be tempted by our enemy, our accuser. To top that off, Jesus goes without food for forty days to set up the time of testing.

Jesus could not have been weaker physically.

Have you ever felt so weak that it seemed like you stood no chance at resisting temptation?

The difference between Jesus and us, at this moment, was that he was ready. He had three passages from Deuteronomy that were locked and loaded (8:3, 6:16, 6:13). This was important because the Devil also had one ready to twist (Psalm 91:11-12).

What scriptures are you currently working on memorizing? Maybe take one a week? Think about having 52 at the end of this year to use as you head into times of testing. May we let God help us!

"Jesus had to be tested and overcome the tester before he could do anything else. Disciples are destined for testing, but Jesus their forerunner has gone before them and shown them how to overcome." - Keener, C. S. (2009). The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (p. 139)

Day 2: Matthew 2:13-23, 3:1-6

"Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins." - Matthew 3:5-6 ESV

In today's world, we laud the instantaneous. We have guaranteed two-day shipping and tiny, high-powered computers in our pockets. Things that take too much time are a bore and an unnecessary annoyance.

So, we may not fully appreciate what God did in preparation for Jesus' arrival. All of the Messianic Prophecies He laid down beforehand (over 300). I mean, we see three in just our reading today (perhaps 4 if you count 2:23).

We also may not understand the purpose of John the Baptist. Why does he need to eat bugs and honey in the wilderness, being clad in camel threads? Couldn't Jesus have just kicked down the door of the Temple in Jerusalem and got to work? Why the wilderness for John? Why have the Messiah brought up in Nazareth (a hated town, John 1:46)?

All of this is to show us that Jesus was legit. God had been orchestrating this before the world existed (see 1 Peter 1:20).

No one beats Jesus' resume.

What do you think? Can you trust Jesus, the proven Messiah, in 2023? The data says, "Yes, yes, you can."

By the way, John's baptizing of his hearers was a revolution.

Check out the following quote from R.T. France: "John’s baptism was an innovation. The nearest contemporary parallels are the self-baptism of a Gentile on becoming a proselyte, and the repeated ritual washings (also self-administered) at Qumran. Neither accounts adequately for John’s baptism, which was apparently a once-only rite, administered by John in the river, and applied to Jews (for this last point see further on v. 9); and neither carried the note of urgent preparation for the coming crisis which was the main point of John’s baptism. John’s ‘converts’ were not seeking ceremonial purification, but ‘fleeing from the wrath to come’ (v. 7)." - France, R. T. (1985). Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 96–97)

Day 1: Matthew 1:1-25, 2:1-12

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21 ESV

As you peruse the genealogy of Jesus, you see a slew of people who were trying desperately to save Israel (and themselves) from their enemies. Many of them failed, and those who succeeded provided only temporary relief.

Jesus' name means "the Lord saves," and it is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua. Even Joshua didn't completely save his people as they entered the promised land.

Philistines. Assyrians. Babylonians. Persians. Greeks. Romans. Ancient Israel had its fair share of enemies throughout time. The Messiah would obviously be saving them from their oppressors, right?!

Matthew clearly records that the angel declares that Jesus would "save His people from their sins." Whoa, that is different from what the Jews were wanting (and expecting) in a Messiah (a Christ). The word used for sin here is hamartia, and it can also be translated as “failure.“

In 2023, Jesus is still wanting to save people from their sins with the wonder-working power of His blood.

One of my favorite Gospel songs is by VaShawn Mitchell, and it starts off like this:

His blood still works and I'm glad to report
That it never lost its power
Yes, it works, I've been redeemed
By the blood of the Lamb

May we allow this time-tested truth to sink in even deeper as we make our way through this new year with our Savior.

Day 365: Revelation 22:1-21

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” - Revelation 22:14 ESV

The Bible has finally come full circle with the close of Revelation. When Adam and Eve made their self-exalting decision in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24), God drove them out of the garden and away from the tree of life. He said if they ate the fruit from the tree, they would "live forever" (Genesis 3:22).

One of the things I am looking forward to most in heaven is seeing Jesus' face (Revelation 22:4). I wonder what the expression on his face will be. Perhaps it will be the look of a friend who has been patiently waiting to give you the perfect gift, which flows nicely into a giant bear hug.

All of the time that God cherished with Adam and Eve in the garden will be restored as it was in the beginning. Not only that, but this new house will be full of so many diverse people that decided to "wash their robes" in the blood of the Lamb (again, Revelation 7:14).

We may well hear Jesus, in the end (which is really a glorious beginning), say something like this to us:

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21)

William Barclay says it nicely while commentating on Revelation 22:14:

“It is Jesus Christ who in his cross has provided that grace by which alone we can be forgiven; but we have to take that sacrifice to ourselves. To take a simple analogy, we can supply soap and water, but we cannot compel a person to use them. Those who enter into the city of God are those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ."

Are you washed and ready? If not, read more here.

For those of us who have washed, we say, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus.”

Day 364: Revelation 21:1-27

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." - Revelation 21:4 ESV

Do you find limitations in this life to be among the most frustrating? We have limited time and energy. We can only go so long before making a mistake (we've made many). We are limited on how many days we can go without food and water. We have a limited amount of time with those we love. Even when it comes to creativity, we could be on such a great roll, yet we run out of material, daylight, or stamina.

When we are mourning or crying, it is impossible to focus on anything else; it feels like we are in the mud.

Limited.

As John writes, he leans heavily on language from Isaiah 65 (see especially verses 15 and 17). It is wild to think that God has known what the new heavens and new earth will look like from the beginning, but now John is allowed to get a clearer picture that was first revealed, in an even smaller way, to Isaiah.

The picture given is that when we are (on that glorious day) entirely in the presence of God, all of our limitations will be removed. Everything will be new and ready for us to praise, create, love, and focus, without the fear of danger or our own weaknesses. Not to mention that our enemy, the Devil, won't be around to start this cycle all over again (see our post from yesterday).

Why doesn't God call it all quits and start this "new" activity today? (He might!)

Verse 8 is the key. There are more within all of these lifestyles now being given more time to repent and run to Jesus (2 Peter 3:9). May we not waste this time. May we be ever-reaching in our approach to those who are currently rejecting our Lord and Savior.

Lewis Foster’s comments on this passage are so helpful when thinking of what statement God is making by way of Revelation 21:

“If God had given this vision to John earlier, and John had recorded this in the middle of his book, we would not have been able to pay attention to the many lessons he has been giving us. We would have passed over Babylon’s fall, we would have slighted the warnings of the resilience of evil and the constant attacks of the beast and of Satan. We would have shrugged off plagues and the suffering of both the people of God and the judgments upon the wicked, and simply focused on the glories of an unmixed portrait of the redeemed in eternity. But the book of Revelation saves this picture until last, after the end has been presented in the realistic doom of the condemned as well as the security and honor of the end millennium in Heaven. Even in Heaven, the existence in store for eternity had not begun until this moment. Now God himself will live with His people in a way He has not done before.”